Will Detroit Ever See MLS Soccer?

Every time talk of MLS expansion comes up, Detroit always seems to make an abstract short list. And every time, without fail, nothing comes of it.

So when MLS Commissioner Don Garber revealed in an interview last week that Detroit had been added to the league's shortlist along with Miami, Atlanta, St. Louis and another Canadian town (Ottawa?) for a 20+ team league, hopes all around the Motor City began to rise. Yet, with a stronger soccer base in every single one of the other shortlisted cities, it appears as if Detroit is being set up yet again to get the short end of the stick.

But why shouldn't Detroit have an MLS franchise? Its proximity to both Chicago and Columbus as well as Canada sets up an interesting array of possible rivalries. Not to mention, Michigan and Ohio already hate each others' guts and that hatred has already been successfully funneled into sports.

Detroit is also a lucrative sports market. Ranked 11th in national TV market tables, Detroit has tremendous potential for television licensing and advertising revenue. By comparison, Seattle is ranked 13th, Denver 16th, Portland 22nd, Columbus 34th. On top of this, the Motor City already fosters a fanatic love of hockey, baseball and basketball. Hell, even the pathetic NFL franchise the Detroit Lions drag season ticket fans back each year for punishment.

But that's just it. Detroit is too far gone on any other number of sports to be preoccupied with professional soccer. It seems that no matter how many times people compile a list of reasons why Detroit should have an MLS franchise, the crux of the argument boils down to: "Detroit's a big city and as a big city we should have a pro soccer team." Believe me when I say that this is not enough to bring the MLS to Detroit.

The (recent) history of professional soccer in Detroit
In 2003, the NY/NJ Metrostars (ah, the good old days) played a U.S. Open Cup match against the Michigan Bucks. The local media heralded it as the debut of Major League Soccer in the Metro Detroit area. Livonia natives Jim and Dan Duggan are quoted in the Detroit News as saying they had hopes of adding Detroit's name to the list of MLS expansion finalists by September 1, 2004. Jim and Dan also establish "MLS Detroit" and begin taking deposits on season tickets from potential fans. Nothing comes of it.

Fast forward to 2005. Detroit is snubbed in favor of Salt Lake and a second Los Angeles team. In response to this, MLS Detroit offers forth a study conducted by American City Business Journals which identifies ... wait for it ... Detroit as "one of the most appealing markets in America for a Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion team." Nothing comes of it.

In 2006 the Michigan Bucks, the USL Premier Development League team based in Pontiac, Michigan, win the top amateur honor of the year. Journalists, fans and soccer pundits speculate what it means for the "future of soccer in Detroit." Nothing comes of it.

It is now 2010. Detroit has been passed up for an expansion franchise in favor of Toronto, Seattle, Philadelphia, Vancouver and Montreal. And with a second New York team looking to pad the league's membership to 20 teams, the next six years are looking no different than the past six for Detroit's hope of MLS glory.

The Solution
With the future of a 20+ team MLS in doubt, Detroit should take a pragmatic, incremental approach to wedging its way into professional soccer. Detroit should strive for a successful second tier USL or NASL franchise. The phenomenal season ticket success of Seattle and Philadelphia started as support for a second tier team and Vancouver, Montreal, and (likely) St. Louis are set to follow in their expansion footsteps.

You've got to crawl before you can walk, as they say. Detroit should be looking to the USL before the MLS. And then, just maybe, MLS will not overlook the Motor City when it starts its next round of expansion.